ISSN 2756-3413
African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 2756-3413 Vol. 19 (4), pp. 001-008, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Stability of the foot-and-mouth disease virus stored in cellulose-based FTA cards at different temperatures
R.A. Max1*, T. R. Sanga1,2, and C. J. Kasanga1
1College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. Box 3017, Morogoro, Tanzania.
2College of Science and Technical Education, Mbeya University of Science and Technology, P. O. Box 131, Mbeya, Tanzania.
Received 21 February, 2025; Revised 19 March, 2025; Accepted 24 March, 2025; Published 30 April, 2025
Abstract
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral infection affecting cloven-hoofed animals. In FMD-endemic regions, proper storage and transportation of clinical samples are critical for preserving virological and epidemiological data. This study evaluated the suitability of Advantec® filter paper, a novel cellulose-based medium, for storing foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) RNA for subsequent amplification and sequencing. FMDV RNA stability was tested under four temperatures (-40°C to 25°C) and storage durations (2–12 weeks). Stability was assessed using RT-PCR and VP1 coding region sequencing, with nucleotide alignment performed to determine genomic integrity. Results showed that FMDV RNA remained stable for up to 10 weeks at room temperature (25°C) and 4°C, and over 12 weeks at -20°C and -40°C. Furthermore, nucleotide sequences extracted from filter paper were 100% identical to those from epithelial tissues stored at -80°C. These findings suggest that Advantec® filter paper is a viable alternative to conventional FTA cards, effectively preserving FMDV RNA for up to 10 weeks at moderate temperatures. This highlights its potential as a cost-effective transport medium for field-based virus surveillance and diagnostics, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Keywords: FTA cards, Advantec® filter paper, FMD virus, viral RNA isolation, storage temperature.